Montana schools are now mandated to test drinking water for lead, following state rule changes related to school health.
Schools are required to test all fixtures that may “reasonably provide water for human consumption or for food preparation,” such as drinking fountains, water bottle refill stations and sinks.
Schools may begin testing as early as March and have a December 2021 deadline. Results will be made public online as they become available, according to Greg Montgomery, the lead in school drinking water rule manager for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. He also heads the new Lead Reduction in Drinking Water program.